Cowboys and Angels: Lou
by flutegirl.anita
Summary: On the eve of Kid and Lou's wedding, Lou thinks about her time with the Pony Express and the riders.


**A/N: ********This is the seventh in a series of stories inspired by Dustin Lynch's song, Cowboys and Angels. It takes place during Till Death Do Us Part, Part One.**

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Lou took one last look back at Kid and smiled. She felt more in love with Kid tonight than she ever had been. She blushed and chastised herself for thinking earlier that maybe Kid had fled and hadn't really wanted to marry her. She spent the whole day wondering where he had been all because he was later than he'd said he'd be. She felt a little silly now that he was here and maybe she should. Kid was always worried about her on runs when she didn't arrive on time. It made her crazy, but now she understood.

Kid's ring in her hand wasn't as heavy as she thought it would be. A few days ago, even, she would have thought it would feel different. Everyone seemed to have this idea about how married life would be, even Lou. It seemed that being a wife required a bunch of skills Lou neither possessed nor was interested in possessing. She worried about it. The morning of her last ride, Buck, Noah, and Jesse were waiting for her with Rachel. They presented her with flowers, an apron, and knitting needles. Lou smiled at the memory. They were mostly just funnin' her, but it brought back thoughts from the day she went looking to buy her wedding dress and wondering if cooking, sewing, and raising children was all there was to her future. Talking to the seamstress, Bonnie, had helped Lou realize something though. Everyone's life was different and everyone's hopes and dreams were different. The things Lou dreaded most were some of the things women like Bonnie wanted most. It was all about perspective and experience.

After meeting Kid's childhood sweetheart, Doritha, Lou wasn't sure what Kid saw in her. It seemed like women like Doritha were naturally attracted to Kid as well as the reverse. Lou had seen him react to Samantha, Doritha, and Margaret. They were pretty much all the same kind of woman. Lou sometimes wished she were like those women, but it wasn't in her to be. That Kid was interested in women like that made her feel so insecure. She hadn't felt that way at the beginning of her romance with Kid. She was never the one that could lose. She was the one in control of everything. They were sort of even now. They both had others that tempted them. Lou thought maybe that's how they knew for sure they wanted to be together. She and Kid had chosen to love each other above all others.

Lou briefly thought about the other boys. They would always be special to her. Truthfully, she often thought she could've fallen in love with any one of them if the opportunity had presented itself before she fell for Kid. They were all sweet boys who deserved to be loved and happy. Lou even felt a little jealous toward the women her brothers would eventually marry. She didn't think anyone would be good enough for them. They had her back always and she would always have theirs. Lou thought Kid finally understood that after the ordeal with the Pike brothers. She would always come to the rescue for and with her brothers. Always.

Rachel welcomed Lou into the house, and after a bath, Rachel sat Lou down, and began to tie up her hair in rags. This was really happening. Her wedding day was tomorrow. Her dress was laid out, people had been invited, and the church was reserved. There were people Lou wished would be at the wedding. They really should be there. Her brother and sister were the first people she thought of. They were always first. It almost didn't feel right to get married without them there, but Lou couldn't get them out of the orphanage until she and Kid had a place to live. It would be different if Theresa and Jeremiah were close by, but they weren't. They only wanted to move the children once. Lou had exchanged letters with her siblings and they were both happy for Kid and Lou. Jeremiah was at an age where he was glad to miss the wedding. Theresa was disappointed, but wanted to hear all about it later and Lou was not to leave anything out.

Emma and Sam should be here too. Emma should be the one tying the rags into Lou's hair. They would sip tea in their night dresses and Emma would tell her stories about how perfect her wedding was going to be. Lou loved Rachel and was glad she was here, but Lou was also selfish for her big day and wanted both Emma and Rachel fussing over her. Rachel was more of a big sister to Lou, but Emma was as close to a mother as Lou had now. It didn't seem right for her not to be at the wedding. Emma was due any day now though and couldn't travel being so close to having her first child with Sam. Lou understood, but she still missed Emma terribly.

Rachel hugged Lou's shoulders when she was done setting her hair. She started to rattle off the schedule for tomorrow, but Lou was feeling so overwhelmed that she couldn't keep up. She chose not to worry about it though. Rachel had everything planned and all Lou needed to do was show up, happy and in love, and everything else would be fine.

Lou climbed the stairs and headed to her bedroom for the night. She kind of wished she could sleep in the bunkhouse with the boys tonight, but that part of her life was over now. She jumped into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin. She couldn't wait until morning. Tomorrow she would become Mrs.… Lou frowned, but then quickly laughed. Tomorrow she would finally find out what Kid's name really was.

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**A/N: Well that concludes the series. Many thanks to the ladies on the plus. Your kind words and support always make me smiley. Thank you dear readers for all the reviews and just for reading. Writing is fun, but it is so much more fun when people read your work. **


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